Anwar Ibrahim defends Rohingya management policy against political criticism

The youth wing of the People's Justice Party (AMK) has defended Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim against accusations that he is using the Rohingya refugee crisis for political gain by criticizing previous administrations. AMK Vice Chief Dr. Mohammed Taufiq Johari stated that the current government's approach focuses on national sovereignty and structured management, rather than the populist policies of the past which lacked clear border management or exit strategies.

Johari emphasized that diplomatic engagement with Myanmar is a necessary legal and diplomatic route to facilitate the repatriation of the Rohingya through government-to-government agreements within the ASEAN framework. He rejected comparisons between these diplomatic efforts and relations with Israel, calling such comparisons inaccurate.

Concurrently, older video footage from April 2020 has resurfaced on social media. In the recordings, Anwar Ibrahim addressed the humanitarian aspects of the crisis, stating that while border security is vital, Malaysia should not allow refugees to perish at sea. The resurfaced clips follow recent comments by Anwar suggesting that past leaders, including Najib Razak and Abdul Hadi Awang, had previously supported the presence of the community through large gatherings, which he claims has now become a national burden.